U.S. patent number 4,856,677 [Application Number 07/086,458] was granted by the patent office on 1989-08-15 for portioning device for paste or semi-liquid products.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Valois, Societe Anonyme. Invention is credited to Michel Brunet, Claude Jouillat.
United States Patent |
4,856,677 |
Brunet , et al. |
August 15, 1989 |
Portioning device for paste or semi-liquid products
Abstract
The object of the invention is a combination of a portioning
system and a flexible tube to contain and distribute a paste
product or a cream. By pressing on the flexible tube, the system
can be completely filled. Exact portions of the product can be
obtained and the product is not exposed to the air, does not dry
out and is not contaminated.
Inventors: |
Brunet; Michel (Sainte Colombe
La Commanderie, FR), Jouillat; Claude (Montigny Sur
Avre, FR) |
Assignee: |
Valois, Societe Anonyme (Le
Neubourg, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
9349452 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/086,458 |
Filed: |
August 18, 1987 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 26, 1987 [FR] |
|
|
87 04211 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/94; 222/96;
222/321.2; 222/309; 222/95 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
11/3015 (20130101); B05B 11/3018 (20130101); B05B
11/00412 (20180801); G01F 11/025 (20130101); B05B
11/3025 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
11/00 (20060101); G01F 11/02 (20060101); B67D
005/40 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/95,96,94,321,383,385,424.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
819094 |
|
Oct 1937 |
|
FR |
|
2305241 |
|
Oct 1976 |
|
FR |
|
2343137 |
|
Sep 1977 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Rolla; Joseph J.
Assistant Examiner: Huson; Gregory L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak and
Seas
Claims
There is claimed:
1. A portioning device for dispensing paste or semi-liquid
products, comprising in combination: a flexible, collapsible,
externally accessible metal or plastics tube containing a supply of
the product to be dispensed, and a portioning system of the pump
type sealingly mounted to a mouth of the tube such that the product
does not come into contact with air, and comprising a pump casing
(30) defining a portioning chamber (70), a piston (50) slidably
disposed within the pump casing for movement between a depressed
position and a rest position, the piston being biased towards the
rest position by a return spring (66), a closable suction orifice
(69), a closable delivery orifice (61), and a push button (15) for
controlling the movement of the piston through the intermediary of
an actuating rod (60), the filling of the pump casing chamber being
effected at least in part by manually squeezing the tube, and the
discharge of the chamber being effected by depressing the push
button, wherein the pump is of the precompression type, the
closable delivery orifice extends through the piston and inside the
actuating rod, and further comprising a valve (65) slidably
disposed within the portioning chamber between the return spring
and the piston for closing the delivery orifice under the biasing
of said spring, said valve being opened when the pressure in the
pump casing exceeds a predetermined threshold established by the
spring.
2. A portioning device for dispensing paste or semi-liquid
products, comprising in combination: a flexible, collapsible,
externally accessible metal or plastics tube containing a supply of
the product to be dispensed, and a portioning system of the pump
type sealing mounted to a mouth of the tube such that the product
does not come into contact with air, and comprising a pump casing
(3) defining a portioning chamber (14), a piston (5) slidably
disposed within the pump casing for movement between a depressed
position and a rest position, the piston being biased towards the
rest position by a return spring (11), a closable suction orifice
(4), a closable delivery orifice (61), and a push button (15) for
controlling the movement of the piston through the intermediary of
an actuating rod (6), the filling of the pump casing chamber being
effected at least in part by manually squeezing the tube, and the
discharge of the chamber being effected by depressing the push
button, wherein the pump is of the finger actuated precompression
type, the piston is slidably mounted on the actuating rod for a
predetermined range of idle travel, and the closable delivery
orifice is formed by an orifice (62) in the actuating rod which can
be opened by the movement of the piston away therefrom.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The object of the present invention is a portioning device for
paste or semi-liquid products, contained in a flexible metal or
plastics material tube, of the toothpaste tube type, which is
squeezed to extract the contents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices are known of the type described in French patent No. 2 240
161. These devices comprise a portioning stopper mounted on a
double-walled receptacle consisting of a flexible receptacle housed
inside a rigid outer receptacle. There exist other portioning
systems mounted on tubes, the bottoms of which consist of a piston
which rises as the tube empties. However there is no portioning
device which can be mounted simply and directly on a hand held
flexible tube, the contents of which are extracted by pressure.
Various portioning stopper systems or systems with pumps fitted to
receptacles are also known (French patent No. 819 094). Although
this patent describes an application for cream, if the product to
be discharged is a little thick, operation is defective and
portioning inexact. Systems are also known in which a pump is
fitted to a bottle (French patent Nos. 2 343 137 and 2 305 241). It
is also known to make stoppers including a built-in portioning
device for bottles intended to cotnain a liquid. French patent
application No. 2 562 444 describes such a device, wherein the
volume of liquid to be portioned can be controlled at will simply
by moving one side of a measuring vessel disposed in the rotating
part of a faucet pipe. Movement of said side is effected by
screwing (or unscrewing) a worm, against a graduated rule. When the
volume of the vessel is regulated and the rotating part of the
faucet pipe appropriately positioned, the bottle and the stopper
are simply tilted downwards to fill the measuring vessel and the
rotating part is then turned a quarter of a turn to empty said
vessel.
Although these systems are suitable for portioning liquids, they
cannot be used to portion a paste or even a semi-liquid product.
The transfer of the liquid from the bottle into the measuring
vessel and from the measuring vessel into the receptacle in which
the portioned volume is collected is effected by gravity. Now,
through its very nature, a paste or semi-liquid product does not
flow or flows poorly. In addition, whereas with a liquid there is
no risk of forming deposits likely to dry out and partly or totally
clog a discharge conduit or orifice, the same does not apply with a
paste product.
Consequently, if it is wished to equip a receptacle intended to
contain a past or semi-liquid product with a portioning stopper, it
is necessary to address the problems posed by transferring said
product from the inside to the outside of the receptacle, and by
the formation of deposits of the product in the transfer channels
of said portioning stopper.
An object of the present invention is precisely a reliable
combination providing a solution to the specific difficulties
linked to the portioning of paste or semi-liquid products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the use of a portioning device
is combined with a receptacle consisting of a flexible tube (of the
toothpaste tube type).
According to the present invention, a portioning device or stopper
of the pump type, comprising a pump casing with a piston which
moves between two positions within the pump casing, a closable
suction orifice, a closable delivery orifice and a pushbutton to
control the movement of the piston, is combined on a tube of the
toothpaste tube type. Thus, the user, by pressing the tube, can
fill the portioning chamber and by pressing on the pushbutton,
release a defined portion of the product contained in the tube. If
the product is sufficiently fluid, the portioning chamber can be
filled simply by suction of the pump, without having to squeeze the
tube which gradually flattens under the effect of atmospheric
pressure.
According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention,
opening of at least one of the closable orifices is controlled by
actuating the pushbutton. In one embodiment, the closable delivery
orifice is of the slide type. In another embodiment, the pump is
the of the precompression type, the delivery orifice being held
closed by a spring, so that this orifice can be opened only if the
pressure in the pump casing exceeds a given threshold, such that
this pressure is difficult to achieve by squeezing the tube, but
can be achieved without difficulty by actuating the pushbutton. The
closable orifices can be valves as well as orifices the closing of
which is controlled by a slide.
Other objects and advantages will appear from the following
description of an example of the invention, when considered in
connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features
will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view in cross-section of an assembly consisting of a
flexible tube and a portioning device in accordance with the
present invention in the rest position.
FIG. 2 is a view of the same assembly in an intermediate
position.
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 for a variant.
FIG. 4 is a view in elevation with a partial cross-section of a
method of linking a portioning device with a flexible tube.
FIG. 5 is a view in median cross-section of another method of
associating a flexible tube with a portioning stopper in accordance
with the invention, the portioning chamber being in the filling
position.
FIG. 6 is a view in median cross-section of the portioning stopper
in FIG. 5, the portioning chamber being in the discharge
position.
FIG. 7 is a view in median cross-section of a portioning device of
the type shown in FIG. 5, comprising a portion adjustment
device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The device according to the invention associates various pumps of
known types with flexible tubes, and a preferred embodiment is a
portioning device which can be associated with a flexible tube.
The device shown in cross-section in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of a
flexible tube 1, of the toothpaste tube type, made of metal
(aluminum) or plastics material. This tube contains a paste
product, a cream, an oil or even a liquid product. A portioning
device of the pump type 2 is screw mounted on the threaded end 1A
of this tube. This device (known in itself, for example of the type
described in French patent No. 2 343 137) comprises a pump casing 3
closed at the bottom by a free moving valve 4, closing an opening
10 formed at the bottom of the pump casing. In the casing 3, is
disposed a piston 5 which can slide in the casing providing a seal
along the inner wall of the casing. The piston is slide mounted on
a rod 6 formed with a flange 6A presenting a step in the upwards
and downwards directions. In the upward direction, the flange 6A
rests against an annular seal 7, held against the top opening of
the pump casing by a capsule 8 crimped over a rim of the casing,
the outer edge of which forms a screw pitch adapted to the threaded
end 1A of the tube 1. Against the bottom of the flange 6A rests one
end of a spring 9, the other end of which rests against the top of
the piston 5. A return spring 11, housed in the lower part of the
pump casing, rests at its lower end against the bottom of the pump
casing, and at its upper end against the bottom of the piston 5.
The rod 6 comprises a central channel 61, open at the upper end of
the rod 6 and closed at the lower end. A radial channel 62 provides
communication between the channel 61 and the outside of the rod at
a level immediately below the piston 5 when the piston is in the
upper position, that is when the top of the piston is resting
against the seal 7. An annular seal 12 is positioned below the
piston 5 so as to close the channel 62. In the idle position, the
spring 11 exerts a force stronger than that exerted by the spring
9. Consequently, the spring 11 pushes the piston 5 upwards against
the seal 7, and through the spring 9 it also pushes the flange 6A
against the seal 7. With the piston 5, the lower part of the pump
casing delimits a portioning chamber 14. The upper end of the rod 6
is capped with a pushbutton 15 incorporating a discharge channel 16
providing communication between the channel 61 and the outside, to
discharge the product contained in the tube 1.
The device works in the following manner. Pressing the pushbutton
15 causes the rod 6 to be lowered, and said rod through the effect
of the flange 6a and the spring 9 causes the piston 5 to move
downwards. The product contained in the chamber 14 is compressed
and closes the valve 4. The pressure rises in the chamber 14 which
prevents the piston from moving down further. With continued
pressure on the pushbutton 15, the rod 6 continues to go down and
the orifice of the channel 62 is opened below the seal 12. The
product in the chamber 9 then escapes under the pressure, through
the channel 62, the channel 61 and the channel 16, to the outside
(see FIG. 2). When the bottom of the piston 5 reaches the bottom of
the pump casing, the movement is halted and a portion of product
has been expelled to the outside through the channel 16. When the
pushbutton 15 is released, the spring 11 pushes back the piston 5
and the rod 6 to the idle position. This movement sucks the product
out of the tube 1 through the valve 4 which lifts. Manually
pressing the tube 1 facilitates the filling (or priming) of the
chamber 14. It will be noticed that the pressure exerted on the
tube cannot cause the product to leave the portioning device,
because pressurization in the chamber 14 in the idle state presses
the piston and the flange 6a against the seal 7. Said seal can in
no case uncover the orifice of the channel 62 which remains closed.
Opening of the outlet channel of the pump 2 is controlled by
actuating the pushbutton 15. If this button is not actuated,
nothing can leave the portioning chamber. Such a system operates
without the product coming into contact with the air, the product
thus being preserved from pollution and not drying out. This
operation differs from the normal operation of a pump in which the
expelled volume is normally replaced by air.
FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 with another type of
portioning device.
With a view to simplification, the tube 1 is not shown. This
portioning device (also known in itself, for example of the type
described in French patent No. 2 305 241) comprises a pump casing
in which an annular piston 50 is slide mounted, attached to a
hollow rod 60 with a central channel 61. In the pump casing, below
the piston 50 is mounted a valve 65, the top 65a of which forms a
needle closing the channel 61 when it is pulled upwards by a spring
66, the upper end of which rests under the valve, with its lower
end on the bottom of the pump casing. The valve can slide in the
pump casing, and can be guided by ribs 64 leaving free the space
between them. The valve 65 is extended downwards by a skirt 67. A
cylinder 68 is fixed vertically and axially to the bottom of the
pump casing. This bottom comprises an opening 69 in the axis of the
cylinder 68. The diameters of the skirt 67 and of the cylinder 68
are selected to be different so that one can fit into the other to
provide a seal.
When the rod 60 is pressed, it moves downwards, pushing the valve
65. The skirt 67 comes on top of the cylinder 68 which closes and
delimits a portioning chamber 70. By continuing to move the rod 60
downwards, the pressure increase in the chamber 70 detaches the
valve from the piston against the force of the spring, which brings
the channel 61 into communication with the chamber 70.
Unlike the previous device, it is the controlled movement of the
piston which closes the pump's suction valve. But the delivery
valve (needle 65a) can open only under the effect of sufficient
pressure, which, in practise, can be obtained only by exerting
sufficient pressure on the pushbutton when the portioning chamber
is closed. This version presents the advantage of having a clear
path for the passage of the product, which is advantageous for the
distribution of a paste product. As in the previous example, the
product does not come into contact with the air.
In the proposed embodiments, the portioning device is screw mounted
onto the flexible tube. In this way, the portioning device can be
fitted to any flexible tube. It is also possible (FIG. 4) to mold a
plastic tube onto a plastic portioning device. The pump casing 2 of
the portioning device includes a collar 101 for this purpose. The
molding is effected with flange 102, molded in a single piece with
the tube 1. This is then filled and closed by welding. Any
portioning device can be used provided that it is fitted with a
plastic collar which can be secured by molding.
The portioning stopper shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 (known in itself, for
example of the type described in French patent No. 819 094)
comprises a fixed cap A and a mobile portioning button B which can
rotate with respect to said fixed cap by approximately 90.degree.
for example. The cap A comprises a casing 100, in the form of a
truncated ogive or cone for example, fitted with an axial thread
103 intended to cooperate with the threaded neck 104 of the tube
105 of the type of an ointment or toothpaste tube in aluminum or
flexible plastics material. The cap A also comprises a cylindrical
or spherical recess 106 between two circular flanges 107 connected
on part of their circumference by a curved wall 108. Each of the
flanges 107 presents at the center of its inner surface a
projection of the fillister type to cooperate with a corresponding
housing on the portioning device pushbutton B, these projections
and these housings constituting the hinging mechanism (not shown)
of the portioning stopper. The wall 108 has a discharge hole 109
advantageously tapered, the vertex of the cone being inside the
recess 106. The discharge hole 109 is extended outwards by an
annular projection 110. A channel 111 ending at the level of the
neck 104 provides communication between the tube 1 and the recess
106.
The portioning device pushbutton B comprises a cylinder 112 one end
of which is closed and contains a hole for the passage of the rod
113 of a piston 114, the head of which is curved and reproduces the
inner surface of the recess 106. The end of the rod 113 opposite to
the piston 114 receives a pushbutton 115. To the cylinder 112 are
secured three tabs 116, 117, 118 having the form of a portion of a
cylindrical or spherical ring (in practice , the cylinder 112 and
the tabs 116, 117, 118 are molded in a single piece). The tabs 116
and 117 are disposed on the same circumference and their outer
diameter is equal to the diameter of the recess 106. The respective
lengths of the tabs 116 and 117 are such that, when the axis of the
cylinder 112 and the longitudinal axis of the receptacle 105
coincide (figure 5, filling position of the cylinder 112), the tab
117 closes the inner orifice of the discharge hole 109 and, when
these two axes approximately form a right angle for example (FIG.
6, discharge position of the cylinder 112), the tab 116 closes the
channel 111. Thus, the tabs 116 and 117 have a dual function:
firstly they cooperate with the recess 106, enabling rotation of
the portioning device pushbutton B with respect to the cap A;
secondly they are of sufficient length to close or uncover one of
the orifices of the channel 111 or the discharge hole 109,
according to the respective positions of the portioning device
pushbutton B and the cap A. The rotation of the portioning device
pushbutton 102 with respect to the cap 100, which is a maximum of
approximately 90.degree. for example, is limited between two
extreme positions, the cylinder 112 being stopped against the
curved wall 108 in one case and against a stopping surface 119 of
the casing 100 in the other case. The tab 118 is concentric with
the tabs 116, 118 and its length and inner diameter are such that,
when the cylinder 112 is stopped against the curved wall 108, it
closes the orifice of the annular projection 110.
The tube-portioning device stopper system described above works in
the following manner. To measure a portion of the paste or
semi-liquid product contained in the tube 1 (said portion being
equal to the internal volume of the cylinder 112), the portioning
device pushbutton B is placed in the position indicated in FIG. 5.
The channel 111 is then open. The tube 1 is pressed, which causes
the product to be moved from the tube 1 into the cylinder 112 and
the piston 114 to move upwards. When the piston 114 reaches its
upper stop position, the portion of product is measured and is then
obtained simply by turning the portioning device pushbutton B
approximately a quarter of a turn for example, in the position
indicated on FIG. 6. The channel 111 is then closed and the
discharge hole 109 open. The pushbutton 115 is pressed and the
product is obtained at the level of the annular projection 110,
expelled by the piston 114. When the operation is complete, the
portioning device pushbutton B is again turned and the tabs 117,
118 respectively close the inner and outer orifices of the
discharge hole 109. The product which is imprisoned is therefore
out of contact with the air, does not dry out and does not form a
deposit. It will be expelled at the next operation.
FIG. 7 shows a tube-portioning stopper assembly according to the
invention, which, different from the embodiment described
previously, comprises a portion adjustment device 130. This
adjustment device 130 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 131 the outer
surface of which is threaded and cooperates with the thread of a
hole made in the upper end of the cylinder 112. The adjustment
device 130 also comprises, at the end of the sleeve 131 inside the
cylinder 112, a circular shoulder 132 of diameter equal to that of
the cylinder 112, and at the end of the sleeve outside the cylinder
112, a collar 133 the periphery of which advantageously comprises
axial ribs or milling. The inner surface of the sleeve 131 serves
to guide the rod 113 of the piston.
By turning the collar 133 forwards or backwards the sleeve 131 is
caused to rise or fall in the cylinder 112, and consequently, the
shoulder 132 against which the base of the piston 114 is stopped
when it is in its uppermost position, also rises or falls. Using
the collar 133, the travel of the piston 114 is therefore modified,
thus adjusting the volume of the portion to be measured. Maximum
depression of the sleeve 131 corresponds to the minimum portion and
minimum depression to the maximum portion. According to the nature
of the product which is to be variably portioned, the height of the
sleeve 131 is calculated for the maximum and minimum prescribable
portions.
As a variant, it is possible to use a portion adjustment system
such as that described in French patent No. 819 094. The piston rod
comprises a projecting part and according to the direction of the
rod which can rotate on itself, cooperates with stops in different
planes.
In all these devices, the product contained in the tube is
prevented from being contaminated by the air (because it does not
come into contact with the air and is sealed in all cases), and the
assembly can be used in any position. The possibility of exerting
manual pressure on the tube facilitates priming, and renders it
possible in all cases. This also facilitates filling the portioning
chamber. Portioning avoids wasting the product.
It will be understood that various changes in the details,
materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein
described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the
invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the
principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended
claims.
* * * * *